Category Archives: A. Reality of Tasawwuf

The nature, definition, goals and principles of Tasawwuf

Reveal the diseases to the Shaykh

The seeker must show his hidden diseases to the Shaykh, and disclose to him their reality so that he can cure them.

If the seeker has diseases and does not show them, openly or secretly, to his Shaykh, then the latter will not cure him of these diseases, even if he is aware of them. The reason for this is that a physician only treats about which the patient complains.

Having said that, none of the defects of the seeker is lost on the Shaykh, even though he only treats that which the seeker reveals. 

The Adab of the True Seeker, page 29-30

This is one of the reasons why regular communication with the Shaykh is essential. The seeker informs him of the various real life incidents and scenarios where a moral disease is suspected to have played a role. Shaykh then makes the diagnosis and prescribes a treatment. This is the reality of the written self-reformation correspondence (islahi makatabet) between the murid and the Shaykh is Ashrafiya path.

When to make baya’?

A seeker asked if sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) accepts request for baya’.

Following is the response,

Hadhrat (may Allah allow us to benefit from him abundantly) usually does not take baya’ from anyone up front.

It is only when he feels that the seeker has recognized the true meaning of this commitment then he does so. For some this duration is in months for others it may be longer. For example, an individual waited 4 years and his wife 14 years before the ritual of allegiance (baya’) took place.

In the mean duration one is supposed to do what is being told and provide regular feedback. This is the reality of baya’.

Qualities of a murid

A sincere seeker requested to know what are the virtues that a Shaykh looks for in a murid before accepting baya’. 

As per the teachings of sayyid wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) following reply was given,
In our path (tariq) the qualities a Shaykh looks for in a potential murid are his yearning and desire to gain Allah’s pleasure, readiness for annihilation of self-suggestions/opinions and enthusiasm for following the instructions given to him.

Reality of Tasawwuf: Sunna

The reality of Tasawwuf has been described as,

“Sincerity in turning to Allah, exalted is He, with that which pleases Him and in the way it pleases Him.”

The Adab of the True Seeker, page 22-3

In addition to sincerity, special attention is to be paid to the phrase, “in the way it pleases Him“.  All actions done as per the Prophet’s manner (Sunna) are for sure guaranteed this pleasure. While, none of the innovated ways carry this assurance.

Benefits of suhba

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘There are four modes of benefiting from the Divinely pious individuals (ahl-Allah),

Firstly, you gain beneficial knowledge from their speech.

Secondly, you (try to) follow their actions.

Thirdly, they make supplications (dua) for you.

Finally, you get spiritual blessings (barakah) by being in their company.”

Waaz: As-soq-l-ahl ashoq, Ibqa’ 1981, page 98

Shaykh’s Anger

Imam Abdul Wahab al-Sha’rani (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

“My master ‘Ali al-Mursifi, may Allah have mercy on him, used to say: One of the signs of the novice’s (murid’s) wretchedness in this world and in the next is his taking lightly the Shaykh’s anger with him and not contemplating the urgency of hastening to make up with him and bringing himself under the banner of his obedience. Some people took lightly their Shaykh’s anger with them and they never succeeded after that: neither at the hands of their Shaykh nor at the hands of anyone else.”

Al-Minan al-Kubra

P.S. Two books of Imam al-Sha’rani are included in the Curriculum of Tasawwuf recommended to the seeker’s by Hakim al-Umma (may Allah have mercy on them).

Effects of Dhikr and righteous deeds

Arif-billah Hadhrat Dr. Muhammad `Abd al-Hayy `Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, 

“When the abundance of rememberance (Dhikr) and persistence in righteous actions start producing stability and fortitude in deeds and their surrounding conditions, one is blessed with an inward connection (with Allah) proportionate to one’s capability, knowledge and comprehension. This tunes one to obey Allah and to worship Him in a natural way.  The result of which is that he finds himself doing so out of love, while at the same time, there emerges a parallel hatred for disbelief and sin in his heart.”

Ma`mulaat Yawmiyyah

Ihsan

Hadhrat Mawlana Wasiullah Shah reports from Qutub e ‘alam Hadhrat Mawlana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah have mercy on them) the reality of ihsan,

“Contemplating on the Absolute Divine Reality in one’s mind all the time, considering it to an actual presence, without any descriptions, and therefore being modestly conscious and accordingly being an obedient servant is the real goal. This is the ihsan. All other things are superfluous.”

Nisbet e sufiya, page 86

How to create yearning and desire?

In sequel of the previous post.  An individual inquired how can this yearning and desire be created and developed.

 Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) was obviously pleased at this question and replied,

“Once Mawlana Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) was elaborating on this same topic. He said that an individual should stretch out his begging bowl and keep on beseeching Allah, Most High for this. Hadhrat (Khawajah Azizul Hasan) Majzoob (may Allah have mercy on him) asked that if someone didn’t even have the begging bowl what should he do? Hakim al-Umma replied that he should request for the bowl itself from Allah, Most High.

Hence, one should make supplications for it. That is, ask Allah, I lack true desire and yearning, please, correct this deficiency. Keeping company of those who already have this yearning and reading their books (Shaykh and pious predecessors mashaikh)  will also help in its creation and development.

Well! This question itself is a sign that, all praise to Allah, true desire and yearning is present (to some extent) in the inquirer.”

Thrusday, pre-zuhar, 25th October 1990/5 Rabi II 1411.  Meeting in office with respectable Drs. Sayyid Abdul Qadir Ahmer and Sayyid Abdun Nasir Moin (may Allah preserve them).

Yearning and desire

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

“The most important thing [in this way (sulook)] is the yearning and desire (talub). Make effort to develop it. Your benefit is directly proportional to this yearning. Mawlana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) said this in couplet meaning,

 Limit your search for water but increase your thirst.

True thirst will pull out the water from beneath your feet.”

Post Asr, 4th Rabi II 1411/24 October 1990.  Hadhrat’s residence, meeting with Baray Abbu (may Allah have mercy on him) & Abbu (may Allah preserve him)

Keep yourself in constant close contact with Allah

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,
“Just try to keep yourself in constant close contact with Allah, Most High, all the time in whatever way possible.”

Further elucidating it he continued,
“It means that one should be conscious about his effort in this regards all the time. He should try his best irrespective of the quantity of actions completed or left undone. Most important thing to avoid, may Allah save us all from it, is being negligent (ghaflah).”

Sunday, 9th December 1990, darul Uloom Karachi, Office  

What is Tasawwuf?

Hadhrat Baba Najam Ahsan (may Allah have mercy on him) asked and then answered it,

“What is Tasawwuf? 

To diminish the possibilities of desires for committing sins is (in reality) Tasawwuf.

Zikr e Ahsan ra, page 256